Survival
by Prince-of-the-black
Summary: Danny is a troubled loner trying to survive the walkers. While wondering in the woods he comes across a hunting cabin. Here he meets Jamie and Ryan. After a hostile greeting Jamie and Ryan try to befriend Danny. How will the trio survive? Read along to join them on their adventures as they attempt to avoid walkers and find a safe haven.
1. Chapter 1

The world went to hell real quick. I don't really know what happened, but one things for sure. I will survive. I will survive in this world. This world. It was almost laughable. It was the same as it used to be except that I had to fight for my life with things that had no life left in the rotten shells of bodies. I walked down a small trail in the woods. I can't remember where I am. Some woods in Arkansas. Altho worrying about the names of the woods where I was didn't seem that important to me. Survival was important.

It had to be late fall. The air had started to turn cool and leaves had begun their transformation from green to gold, red and brown. The air smelt of dirt and decaying flora. Even with the cool surrounding temperature I was starting to sweat. The reason being the protective clothing. I wore camouflage cargo pants, black leather jacket spray painted brown and green, with army grade boots. I covered my face in a mixture of leaves mud and black face paint. My hair the length of my shoulders was twisted into a ponytail with leaves and mud combed into each fiber. I carried a katana that I strapped to my back, two kusarigamas that I hung thru the belt loops of my pants, two hunting knifes strapped to my legs, and two small handguns in a holster on the small of my back. I also fashioned gloves with strips of metal imbedded in the leather. My father was a wielder and he showed me how to cut metal at least. Few strips of metal, two leather gloves and needle with thread was all that was needed to turn my fist into steel weapons with the dexterity of normal skin. One good punch and bone would shatter.

After hours of walking I came across a deer camp. Of course I did. I was in the south. Deer camps were everywhere in Arkansas. A single roomed cabin that stood fifteen feet off the ground supported by several beams of wood. Hell it looked as if it was made to withstand walkers.

"Man. I can't believe my luck." I said. I ran up the metal stairs and tried to open the door to only find it locked. Raising my foot to waist height I kicked in the door with one powerful kick. The door remained on the hinges but swung open freely. I stepped in to be meet with the smell of wood and musk. The single roomed cabin was void of life and the non-living. There was a small wood stove in the corner that vented outside. A spool used for industrial wiring was flipped on its side to serve as a table. Several folding lawn chairs were scattered around the room; some were folded laid against the wall others were unfolded and positioned in front of windows.

I turned my head to look towards the cabinets and moved forward to open them inspect the contents inside. A few cans of beans, protein powder, and assorted non perishable foods. I grabbed as much as I could in my arms as I searched for a bag to carry it all in. Suddenly I heard voices outside of the camp.

"Jamie, did you leave the door open." A male voice asked.

"No." responded a female's voice.

"Shit," I said under my breath. "I forgot to check if anyone was actually living here." I barely had anytime to draw my guns as the two busted in thru the open door way.

"Who are you?!" the girl yelled.

"I'm just passing thru!" I relied. "And shut your fucking mouth. Or do you want walkers on our asses."

She seemed to consider this. "Fine. Who are you freak. Not everyone looks like a walking mudman." She sneered. I did not take my eyes or my guns off of them.

"If having proper camouflage makes me a freak then I'm the freakiest freak of them all, but I'm still alive." I said.

"Look," the boy said. "Pointing guns at us isn't going to do you any good. We're not armed just point your pistols down." I licked my lips and slowly let the barrels of my guns fall parallel to my legs.

"Fine. I just want something to eat." I nodded to the can of beans at the table.

"You can't just have food. Especially after you were about to rob us." Jamie said.

"What about a trade?" I asked. I reached into my jacket pocket and brought out an assortment of Tylenol, antiseptic, and painkillers. "This should be enough for a can of beans and a bag of whatever is in that cabinet." Jamie and the boy looked at each other and nodded in unison. I placed the medical supplies on the makeshift table and moved across the room to the cabinet that held the food. I grabbed a bag of salted pretzels, can of pinto beans, and a can opener. I moved across the room pulling a lawn chair to the spool table. I sat down opening the bag of chips with my hands and using the can opener I removed the top.

"I don't suppose you have a spoon." I said.

"No, but you can use your hands." She remarked as a sneer spread across her face. All attitude aside she had a point. But I couldn't with my gloves on. So I tilted the can to my lips and let the contents pour into my mouth. I started a pattern. Tilt, chew, potato chip, tilt. As soon as I had finished I stood up wiped residue off on my pants and started to walk out.

"My name is Randy." The boy spoke. I turned to face him.

"Excuse my french. But I don't give to shits." I replied. I walked out and down the metal steps and began to make my way to the trail when I heard Randy behind me.

"Lets get one thing straight. Even thou I hasn't seen a walker for the past two days doesn't mean their not out there. You can stay with us for the night." Randy offered.

I began to weigh my options. I could spend the night in the woods without shelter and risk being ambushed my walkers and biters. Or I could stay with the first two people I had seen in six months. But what if they tried to kill me? I had weapons and a sword that would be essential for them. I considered this for a moment. If I died tonight I would rather be killed by them rather than being eaten alive.

"Fine. For one night, but if you try anything I will kill you both without hesitation." I said. He nodded and we walked back to the raised cabin.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, where are you from?" Ryan asked me. Ryan and Jamie sat at the makeshift table eating a single can of beans. I sat in a folding chair with my back against the wall with one hand holding a pistol at the duo and the other holding a hunting knife.

"Nowhere." I answered.

"Well whats your name?"Jamie asked as spooned beans into her mouth.

"Danny." I answer.

"Not much of a talker this one," said Jamie. "You know you don't have to hold that gun at us."

"Yeah. I do."

Ryan had taken firewood and placed it in the wood stove. A few burnt matches later Ryan had a small fire that provided the cabin with enough warmth to keep them from freezing. With the food consumed Jamie and Ryan took out their own weapons and began maintenance. Randy carried a hunting knife like mine, a pair of brass knuckles with a spikes that jutted out the front, and a shotgun. Jamie carried a machete and a pistol. The pair began to sharpen the knifes and clean their guns. When they had finished all that was left for them was to go to sleep.

"Well Danny, we're going to go to sleep." said Jamie. She walked over to the wall opposite of the door and pushed on a section of it. A four by ten foot rectangle of wall that revealed a secret room. Inside the room were a few beds and some moth eaten sheets and comforters.

"There arn't enough beds for all of us. Is it alright if you just sleep on the lawn chairs?" Ryan asked. I nodded my head yes. "Would you like something to keep you warm?" he continued. I nodded my head no. He sighed and walked into the hidden room replacing the section of the wall concealing the room once again. I didn't need anything to keep me warm. The cold would keep me awake for as long as my exhausted body would allow it to. I couldn't risk falling asleep. If I did Jamie and Ryan could steal my weapons and leave me to roam the woods defenseless waiting for the walkers to get me.

Eventually the cold got the best of me and I moved the lawn chair closer to the fire but at an angle where if the two attacked me I would be able to defend my self. My feet began to sweat into my socks from the heat of the fire while the rest of my body shook from the the cold.

I hadn't realized that I was falling asleep and my eyes closed by against my will. I dreamed of nightmares. I walked thru a maze of rooms and hallways. The walls were purple and the floors covered in green shag carpet. I couldn't control my legs they had begun to move by themselves inching me forward at a snails pace. Slowly I walked down the dark hallway the smell of musk and dead flesh assaulting my sense of smell. I heard moans and the sound of nails scraping against the walls. Out of the darkness came the hands of decaying corpses that grabbed at the air hungrily. Then faces appeared out of the shadows. Three faces. A man, a woman, and a small boy. The Man had no missing portions, but the woman's lips were ripped off and several fingers were missing along with her left eye that hung by a cord of flesh form the socket. The young boy was missing most of his legs. Up to his thigh was missing and in its place were bones and bits and pieces of uneaten flesh. The three made their way to me. The man and woman shuffling thru towards me while the boy drug himself across the floor; his snapping jaws aimed at my feet.

"No, leave me alone." I screamed. I froze in place as the three zombies were on top of me. Each taking bites out of my body. The woman biting off my lips and fingers, the man tore chunks out of my arms, and the boy began to devour my legs. I woke to the feeling of warmth and protection of the comforter from the hidden room. I jumped to my feet instinctively searching for my weapons. I still wore my armored gloves but my katana, hunting knifes, pistols, and twin kusarigamas were no where to be found. I frantically searched for them to find them neatly placed of the counter top. They hadn't been stolen. I placed my knifes in the holders attached to my thighs. I hung my kusarigamas in my belt loops, and swung my katana around my back placing the rope that held it in place over my shoulder.

I heard the voices of Ryan and Jamie outside of the cabin. I opened the door and stepped out into the blinding light. Across the yard below me Jamie and Ryan stood practicing with their weapons. Jamie was demonstrating her thrusting capabilities with her knives, while Ryan practiced on a tattered punching bag; the spiked brass knuckles punching holes in the material. They noticed me standing above them and Jamie sheathed her knife and smiled.

"Hey sunshine," Jamie joked. "You slept in. How long had it been since you last took a nap."

"Two days." I answered. Jamie and Ryan looked at me in surprise.

"Two days?! Didn't you stop to sleep?" Ryan asked.

"Couldn't," I said. "I had a safe house for a while, but it got overrun by walkers. Had to run. Didn't stop until I was sure I had got enough distance between me and them." I walked over to them as I spoke. Stopping only when I was within striking distance of them. Jamie crossed her arms and Ryan shoved his hands in his pockets.

"So, how good are you with what you have?" Jamie asked as a smile spread from ear to ear. "How about a demonstration?"

"Why do you want to fight me?" I asked.

Jamie simply smiled. "Why? Because it's fun. Now what do you want to fight with?"

I removed all of my weapons leaving myself with only one kusarigama.

"I'll use this." I said as I lifted my weapon up for her to see. A short piece of metal with a sickle protruding out of the top.

"You'll need a lot more than that. I'm not going easy on you." She smirked as she drew her two hunting knifes and lunged at me. I Sidestepped and with my right hand slapped her across the back of her head.

"What was that?!" She demanded. I turned around and looked her in the eye.

"First tip, and I'm only telling you because you feed me, is don't attack first. It gives your opponents to much time to read your moves." I explained. She rushed me again. I sidestepped once more and left her momentum carry her for a few feet.

"Secondly," I spoke. "It's very rude to not take someones advice. Especially when I give it to you from the bottom of my heart." Placing my hand over my heart, feigning insult. Jamie looked at me in the eyes with frustration as Ryan warned her to keep her head straight.

"Finally," I spoke as she rushed me. Using my thumb I pried open the secret opening at the bottom end of my kusarigama. I felt the weight leave my weapon as the chain and weight fell to the ground. I grabbed the middle of the chain and as Jamie rushed me I swung the weight bringing the chain with it, wrapping around her arms causing her to drop her knifes. I stuck my foot out causing her to loose her balance, and as she fell I pulled on the chain catching her before she hit the ground. I slowly let her down on the ground. "Always have a trick up you sleeve."

"How the hell did you do that." Ryan asked in amazement.

"I've collected different types of weapons since the first night the walkers took over. After the second week I raided a martial arts dojo." I said. "There were weapons, months worth of food, and plenty of living space. So I stayed, I ate, and I trained."

Jamie got to her feet and dusted herself off. She picked her knives up off the ground and sheathed them. "So what you can do a few fancy moves. Hows that going to help you when zombies chew off your face?" She yelled. I clamped my hand over her mouth.

"Shut you're fucking mouth or there will be walkers to chew all our faces off!" I whispered harshly. "I didn't run for two days straight just so you can call all the walkers with that damn voice of yours."

I heard a gun cock and felt a cold piece of metal press into my rib cage. I looked down to see Jamie holding a pistol to my gut.

"Go ahead. The sound will attract all the walkers in the area, and the woods will only make the sound travel farther." I reminded her. "By the time they get here I'll have bleed out and you and your boyfriend over there will be eaten alive."

What I said registered in her mind and I felt the gun leave my ribs as she placed it in her holster. I removed my hand from her face and slowly backed away. Ryan ran over to Jamie and hugged her. He looked at me in fear.

"I didn't want to fight in the first place." I reminded them. "You did, and now you got your fill." I turned my kusarigama upside down and let the chain fall back inside the hollowed out metal. I pushed the weight back into place and shoved the handle inside the loop of my belt.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you." I said as I walked off heading back to the cabin on stilts. I was almost to the stairs when I heard Ryan call out my name.

"Danny, wait!" Ryan said. As he ran up to me. He was out of breath when he was arms length from me.

"Would one of you listen to me and shut the hell up." I said as I studied the surrounding trees. Ryan stayed quite as I searched for any walkers that might have heard his voice.

"Dude, why are you so worked up? There's no walkers for miles." He said.

"How do you know?" I demanded as I gave him a stern look. "Have you or you're little girlfriend over there ever scouted the woods? Maybe people had the same idea as us, maybe a large group of people went into the woods and were ambushed. Then they turn and they bite and turn more people. If that happens these woods could house a exponential number of walkers, and your damn loud voice will draw everyone here."

"I didn't think of that." He admitted.

"No, you didn't." I agreed. "It's not like it used to be. Humans are struggling to stay at the top of the food chain. We're not just predators anymore, we're prey. Maybe its all a game to you too, but I don't want to die. I've seen too many people die." Tears started spring from my eyes as the last sentence left my voice. I walked away and left Ryan to go comfort Jamie.


End file.
